


nuance

by Anonymous



Category: PRISTIN (Band), 여자친구 | GFriend (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ambiguous Relationships, F/F, Organized Crime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29989770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: The year they turned 18 both of them met for the first time at the police station, one there for something she did and one for something she didn’t do.
Relationships: Im Nayoung/Kim Sojung | Sowon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7
Collections: Girl Group Jukebox (Round 3)





	nuance

**Author's Note:**

> written for gg jukebox round 3, inspired by party 4 u by Charli XCX.  
>   
> I don't know what you were waiting for  
> You know that I've been waiting for you  
> — party 4 u, Charli XCX
> 
> My life is waiting for you (yes, you!)  
> — MAGO, GFRIEND

Nayoung drops her black umbrella in the basket by the door. The tie comes loose, fanning out the spokes and spraying water on her uncovered shin. She shakes the water out of her hair too, leaving the tousled black hair to spread across her shoulders.

“It’s been a while,” one of the waiters says to her as he passes by with a large tray of food. Jeon Wonwoo. Nayoung nods courteously, unbuttoning her trenchcoat and revealing a pearl sequin dress underneath.

“It’s been a rough couple of months in the business,” she answers vaguely. Her hand waves in the air, and she hikes up her sleeves, exposing the glittering trinket on her wrist. “So many complications. How are things over here? It’s good to see the turnover’s not as bad as it used to be.”

“They keep you if you’re good at your job,” Wonwoo says, a deriding grin on his face. “I think I’ve proven my worth.”

“It can’t be that hard to work in the front,” Nayoung says coolly.

Wonwoo laughs. “You know, that attitude is going to get you in trouble one day.” 

“I’m already here,” Nayoung says, shrugging.

“Touché,” he replies. Wonwoo takes his leave, serving a smile he reserves only for their highest paying customers. Nayoung continues deeper into the restaurant, heels clacking against the flooring as she makes her way down the stairs. The music gets louder.

Sitting at the bar in the back is Kim Sojung. But first Nayoung drapes her coat over a stool and calls for the bartender. From the high ponytail she can tell it’s Kyulkyung tonight.

“I want scotch on ice,” Nayoung says. Sojung eyes her from a few seats away. Nayoung ignores it.

Kyulkyung whistles and reaches for a glass. “You’re not starting off slow at all.”

“I would rather not think about anything right now,” she responds.

“That’s not a very good attitude for someone with a lot to hide.”

“Lim Nayoung is very good at controlling her words,” Sojung says, finally breaking her silence. Nayoung swivels on her chair and looks at her.

“Kim Sojung.”

Sojung is looking back at her, eyes mirthless. Nayoung takes in her elegant visage – her chin has always been so sharp that it rivals hers – and her black A-line dress and dark eyelashes, and she can tell that Sojung’s changed. So much more refined, and so much more aware of her own capabilities.

“You’re wearing contacts,” Nayoung says. “They’re gray and it looks like the life has been sucked out of you.”

Sojung laughs even though it’s not funny. “You haven’t seen me in months and that’s the first thing you say to me?” 

“It’s been almost a year,” Nayoung says.

“I know.” 

Kyulkyung sets the glass next to Sojung’s, and Nayoung moves over to the seat beside her.

“How have you been?” Nayoung asks. Sojung has probably caught onto the fact that it’s a surface level question, an icebreaker before digging into what she really wants to know. 

“It’s been just fantastic over here,” she answers slowly, brushing the hair out of her face in quick strokes. It looks like she’s had bangs, so the fringe isn’t long enough to stay tucked behind her ear. Nayoung pulls a bobby pin from a spot behind her ear and reaches over to pin Sojung’s hair back. Sojung watches her movements the whole time.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“It was bothering me,” Nayoung says.

“I heard from Chungha that you finished your last overseas job months ago,” Sojung responds sharply. She’s always been so perceptive. “I’m practically here every night and I’ve never seen you.”

“I asked for more work,” Nayoung explains, without lying. Her policy is to only lie to targets.

Sojung sighs. “I can only wonder why.”

“That’s right,” Nayoung agrees. She takes a long sip of her drink. 

Sojung narrows her perfectly straight eyebrows. “You know, I always hated how unreadable you were.” 

“I’m sure you didn’t hate it when we were working together,” Nayoung says, recalling nights in the police interrogation room and keeping her composure without a hitch. The year they turned 18 both of them met for the first time at the station, one there for something she did and one for something she didn’t do. Sojung would later go on to tell her she would have cracked if she was alone. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, Nayoung said, coaching her when the detectives weren’t around. Sojung had replied with _that sounds more like you,_ and Nayoung said no, this was the right place to be, because Sojung needed her help. It’s not like Sojung didn’t know anything. She was wearing a school uniform, and it wasn’t hers.

After they got out Sojung drove her to the wheat field where she had buried the goods, and Nayoung introduced her to the heist crew.

Seulgi had been managing the base that evening. “Look what the cat dragged in,” she said from the hostess podium when they both walked in, unkempt clothes completely out of place in their high-class establishment. 

Nayoung looked anywhere but into her eyes, grasping the edge of Sojung’s button-down between her fingers like she would run away if Nayoung let go. “Lend us some clothes, unnie.”

“Are you going to explain?” Seulgi isn’t the type to mince words.

Nayoung knew Seulgi wouldn’t be sympathetic to the ordeals of the past week so she didn’t waste her time. “I think that Sojung would be really useful to us,” she said. 

“Hmm,” Seulgi said, resting her chin on her hand and looking the girl over. Sojung stayed silent, fully apprehensive. Nayoung hadn’t bothered to explain anything to her on the way either. “She looks really innocent.”

“That’s her greatest asset,” Nayoung replied. “Her charm.” She’d known the girl for five days.

Seulgi raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you think you’re already too attached to her? Well, we do need another piece of bait,” she said thoughtfully. Sojung flinched. “Hey, if you’re going to take that to heart, you might as well leave now.”

“I’ve heard a lot worse,” Sojung clarified, twirling her hair around her finger. “But I want to know what I’m getting out of this.”

“I think this will be mutually beneficial,” Nayoung said, flashing Seulgi a look at what they’d split from Sojung’s B&E.

Seulgi hummed approvingly. “Let’s get out of here,” she said, abandoning her post without a second glance to lead them downstairs. “Too many eyes on us.” 

“I hate to interrupt your staring contest,” Kyulkyung says, voice smooth like butter. “Do you want another drink?”

“Please,” Nayoung requests.

Sojung swallows down the rest of her martini and pushes the glass away from herself. “I think I should stop here. I’ve been here a lot longer than she has.” 

“You can tolerate more than that,” Nayoung says. “You know it and I know it.” This is also the bar where they celebrated their 20th birthdays together. Both of them together outdrank the rest of the girls and neither remembered the end of the night by the next day, although Nayoung had her suspicions. That was days before she would go on to request an overseas job.

“Sojung,” a voice says calmly from the doorway to the back room. Ah. That’s why. Nayoung looks at her still, knowing the voice well enough that she doesn’t have to check who’s calling.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue to leave,” Sojung says, taking her clutch bag in her hands. “We’re talking strategy. Our marks are getting richer.” She smiles. “It’s getting harder to draw them in.”

“Wait,” Nayoung says.

Sojung turns around, diamond earrings glimmering brightly. “What is it?”

Nayoung presses a small velvet bag into Sojung’s right palm. “You’re going to see him anyway, you can save me the trouble.”

“This is...?” She probably already knows. 

“It’s the fruits of my labor. Tell Jeonghan I’ll be back next week.”

“You can stay,” Sojung tells her, words effortlessly dripping with allure. Nayoung can’t tell if it was intentional or not, if she’s being used, or if she has been ever since that pivotal day in backwater Seoul. She should have known all along that actions have consequences.

Nayoung exhales slowly. “I’ll finish my drink.”

“Then I’ll see you then,” Sojung says, more of a statement than a question.

Nayoung nods. Sojung slips into the back room, and the door closes with a soft click.

Kyulkyung is wiping glasses at the other end of the bar. Nayoung leaves her a small steal as a tip and walks back upstairs. The winds have shifted and the rain has stopped falling. She leaves her umbrella behind and steps into the crisp night air.

**Author's Note:**

> also brought to you by this sequence of MVs:  
> MAGO [GF] → Get It [PRST V] → Apple [GF] → Bad Boy [RV] → HOME;RUN [SVT]


End file.
